Bergið Headspace receives grant from Gunnar Thoroddsen Memorial Fund
Mayor Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir presented a grant from the Gunnar Thoroddsen Memorial Fund at a formal ceremony at Höfði yesterday. Bergið Headspace received this year's grant for their work supporting young people.
Sigurþóra Bergsdóttir founded Bergið Headspace in September 2018, and since then it has grown to provide services at five locations in Reykjavík, Hafnarfjörður, Kópavogur, Mosfellsbær and Akureyri.
Bergið provides counseling and services to young people ages 12 to 25. The organization's goal is to improve young people's well-being and increase their engagement in the community. They offer low-threshold services that don't require a special referral, allowing young people to seek help from Bergið counselors for any problems they face. About 120 young people come to Bergið for counseling each week, meaning hundreds of young people annually, some seeking help for the first time.
The mayor wished them well and said in her speech that it is essential to support this vital work. "Bergið welcomes everyone who seeks their help, and counselors assist young people in working through complex issues, contributing to better mental health for children and teens."
Bergið representatives Rut Sigurðardóttir, program director, and Guðbjörg Fjóla Halldórsdóttir, counselor, accepted the grant and thanked them for the support, adding that it would greatly benefit their work.
The Gunnar Thoroddsen Memorial Fund was established by Benta and Valgarður Briem on Gunnar's birthday, Dec. 29, 1985, and yesterday marked the 40th time a grant has been awarded from the fund.
The memorial fund's purpose is to provide grants to individuals, groups, institutions or organizations in the fields of humanitarian aid, health, or culture — areas that Gunnar was particularly committed to when he served as mayor.
Congratulations, Bergið Headspace!